Accounting firm clients are moving faster than the firms serving them. Just 29% of firms are developing AI-enabled revenue streams—but those that do report the highest ROI of any goal. Essentially, there's significant untapped potential still on the table for the majority of firms.
Client expectations have outpaced firm delivery
Among the 82% of firm leaders who say AI has raised client expectations, the pressure is broad-based. Speed of service tops the list at 79%, followed by advisory (67%), data privacy (66%), cybersecurity (65%), compliance (63%), and transparency (51%).
In practice, that gap looks familiar: more rush requests, more fee scrutiny, and a growing risk of client churn for firms that can't respond fast enough.
Despite the pressure, pessimism is rare. Only 9% of respondents expect AI to have a negative impact overall.
"AI doesn't win clients over on its own," said Ariege Misherghi, SVP, AP and Accountant Partnership, BILL. "But when it helps a firm respond faster, serve better, and build trust at every touchpoint, the payoff shows up in NPS, retention, and revenue."
Client Advisory Services emerge as accounting's fastest-growing AI bet
Firms are using AI as a catalyst to shift from compliance-centric models to advisory-led ones. When asked which services AI is prompting them to expand into, tax planning and preparation ranked first at 50%, followed by Client Advisory Services (CAS) at 39%, business consulting and strategy (38%), technology implementation and support (36%), and risk management and compliance (30%).
What makes CAS stand out: For every firm already doing CAS, roughly one more is planning to add or grow it. 38% of surveyed leaders say their firms currently offer it, and 39% plan to expand into it because of AI.
"The movement toward CAS has been underway for years," said Kimberly Blascoe, CPA, Senior Director of CAS Professional Services, CPA.com. "What's new is AI's ability to capture, connect, and interpret the data CAS depends on. Compliance and operations work generates the data. Advisory is how firms turn that data into strategic guidance. AI closes the gap by making tailored advice scalable."
Beyond CAS, firms are exploring adjacent markets—forensic accounting, ESG services, wealth management, and procurement—with 5–25% of respondents considering each. Together, these moves signal a broader shift toward comprehensive service models where AI-enabled insight sits at the center.
The most underfunded AI goal showed the highest return
Here's the finding firms should pay attention to: only 29% of survey participants set a goal to develop new AI-powered service lines or revenue streams. Among those that did, one in four reported substantial returns—the highest "significant impact" rate of any AI goal across the entire survey.
That's an example of an underfunded, high-return bet. Firms that haven't prioritized new AI service lines may be leaving their biggest opportunity on the table.
"AI in our world isn't about sprinkling automation on top of old processes," said Misherghi. "If all we've done is speed up a broken workflow, we've missed the point. The bar is: did we actually delete work, remove steps, and free up capacity so accountants can reimagine how they serve clients—using their judgment and insight to help build stronger, better-run businesses?"
"Successful firms start with the clients they serve," added Blascoe. "They define the promise first: the role as a trusted advisor providing a quality, consistent experience where clients feel heard, informed, and guided. AI is simply the engine that helps them keep that promise at scale."
About the survey
Volume 3 of the BILL accounting firm AI ambition survey is the third installment in a four-part series produced with NewtonX, based on responses from more than 200 accounting firm leaders. It focuses on how AI is reshaping what firms deliver and how they deliver it, and includes insights from experts at both CPA.com and BILL.
Prior volumes cover:
- AI awareness and adoption (Vol. 1)
- AI strategy and investments (Vol. 2)
Volume 4, covering business model and pricing innovation, is forthcoming.
Disclaimer: This report is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal, tax, or investment advice. Firms should consult their own professional advisors before making decisions based on this information.
